In the printing industry, use of ultra-violet (UV) curable inks and other substances is increasing, due to the increasingly fast curing rates effected by UV radiation. The UV radiation is increasingly being produced by high intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs). Those diodes are provided as part of an LED module such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,641,236, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.
High intensity LED devices generate a considerable amount of energy in two different ways. The first type of energy is in the form of heat. The second form of energy is in the form of light. The light contains energy that is absorbed by the optical focusing reflector, the absorbed energy is converted into heat. Thus, high intensity LED devices such as those used to produce UV radiation present great challenges in designing thermal energy management, optical energy management, and electrical energy management (interconnection). This is a particular problem in designing LED light-emitting systems that must focus high levels of specific wavelength light at relatively short distances, such as 10 mm-100 mm. These designs require high density packaging (mounting) of the LED devices, and therefore generate a large quantity of heat. Heat buildup can damage the LED elements and other circuitry. Heat buildup can also make the LED module's housing too hot to safely handle and result in injury if touched. Additionally, high temperatures may cause reflectors to warp and adjacent structures, such as the LED package, to warp and degrade. There is a continuing need to provide improved LED modules for high intensity UV curing systems.